Life-Enhancing Mineral-Rich Green Juice

Siri... can you make me a green juice?

If only.

"A healthy outside starts from the inside." —Robert Urich

Around this time of year I begin juicing and then inevitably stop when autumn starts to slip into winter. I just can't maintain the enthusiasm to juice through the cold months, but when the sun starts to rise early, and the birds begin chirping before dawn, my yearning for green juice returns once more.
   "Mmmmmm, fresh mowed grass," my husband says as a repetitive quip when I hand him a glass of freshly juiced greens. Jay's sarcasm is not entirely unwarranted. Green juice does indeed taste like summer in a glass. For Jay, drinking green juice is a bit like taking a dose of medicine. Being a former Marine, Jay doesn't need to enjoy the green juice to consume it. He just drinks it like a man. #truegrit
   I don't mind the flavor of this slightly spicy tasting green juice. Some over-the-counter green juices are actually high in sugar. To avoid spiking insulin levels I opt to eliminate sweet fruit from the ingredients mix. No apples for moi. If you must add a sweet fruit or vegetable, keep the addition to one serving. Full disclosure, I usually add a small to medium sized carrot.

These are all the veggies that go into a 16-ounce serving. 

My obstacle to juicing is not the flavor, but is related to actually doing the work to make the juice. When I'm organized it takes about twenty minutes to produce 32 ounces, which for us is two servings but for others this amount could comfortably serve a family of four. When I'm not organized it takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and another 5 minutes to clean the juicer's parts.
   A heavy duty Champion masticating juicer has a permanent home on my kitchen counter, whether I juice regularly or not. The appliance weighs 23 pounds so lugging it around to store it between uses doesn't make sense for me. The beast of an appliance stands as a steadfast reminder of what I should be doing when I'm not. Similarly the weight bench in the garage is a constant visual prompt that I should be exercising when I'm not. I always get back around to using both but staying with a routine is clearly a challenge for me.
   The masticating juicer produces more nutritious juice because it does a better job of breaking down the fiber of the vegetables. The Champion both cuts and grinds. The juice produced by a masticating juicer has a longer shelf life of up to 48 hours because the Champion does not build up heat while it does its job. With that being said, I tend not to store the juice. My goal is to consume it within 30 minutes of making it. And, I don't simply drink my juice, I chew it, and swoosh it around in my mouth because many of the enzymes present in the juice are activated by saliva. To learn more, check out this Tedx Talk, Chew Your Juice.

All set-up and ready to juice. 

Finally, you'll want to drink green juice on an empty stomach for maximum benefit and easy digestion (code for not blowing a bunch of gas). I prefer mine as a first meal of the day after enjoying my morning coffee. I add collagen protein and a little half and half to my coffee, which sustains me for awhile. If that doesn't quite work for you and your schedule, the next best thing is waiting a minimum of two hours after a meal to drink a glass of green juice. I find the juice filling but if that's not the case for you, drink your juice then wait twenty minutes before eating whatever's next on the daily menu.

I'm just dropping this image here 'cause the butterfly is pretty and it matches the color theme.

Life-Enhancing Mineral-Rich Green Juice

Crock-Fermented Dill Pickles and May Roses

by Linda

               American households purchase pickles every 53 days.

               More than 67 percent of all households eat pickles.

               Americans consume more than 9 pounds of pickles per person annually.

                                                            —From ilovepickles.org

The Persian cucumbers are washed and ready to become crisp and delicious dill pickles.

   We girls are all pickle lovers from way back. This love of pickles was promoted by our dad, Paul, who has always loved fermented foods. He wrote to me last fall, after I published my post on making sauerkraut at home and shared with me how much he had loved sauerkraut as a boy. This passage from his letter delighted me:

"Grandma and grandpa Beaumont made wonderful kraut which they learned to do in Wisconsin.  Norman actually made a wooden shredding box that held knives made from flat files. He ground the files to a knife edge and secured them in the box. When a head of cabbage was pushed over the knife edges, it had the same effect as cutting with a knife but was much faster. They canned the kraut which probably wasn't good from a nutrition standpoint but it tasted great. As a kid, I would have chosen a bowl of their kraut over a bowl of ice cream. I absolutely loved the stuff. Callie was really good about giving me a bowl of kraut when I'd stop by (which was most every day)."

Our father, Paul, at Maddie's graduation party in May of 2015.

   I can picture him at as a boy in his grandparents' kitchen eating a big bowl of homemade sauerkraut. I wasn't in love with sauerkraut as kid (but then ours wasn't homemade, which makes all of the difference), however we all have always loved dill pickles, and we ate jar upon jar of them when we were girls.

 

 
   Now that it is late spring, baby cucumbers are finally arriving at the Whole Foods Market® where I work. I am particularly fond of the baby Persian cucumbers because they have thin skins and are never bitter. I thought I would make a batch today and enjoy the advent of my May roses, which are abundant in my yard right now. I love preparing food on a large wooden table in the middle of my garden, which this year is home to my first attempt at growing David Austin English rose varieties. They have bloomed abundantly, and their fragrance is subtle yet sumptuous. They layer the air with their sweet perfume while I work.

David Austin Rose—Lichfield Angel 

David Austin Rose—Lady of Shallot

   I feel so lucky to be enjoying a Friday off preparing food in my garden. They only thing that would make it any better was if my sisters were joining me later for a cocktail.

Crock-Fermented Dill Pickles

Equipment:
5L Fermentation crock

Ingredients:
1.5 gallons filtered water
3/4 cup sun-dried sea salt (I use Eden brand French Celtic)

4 pounds baby Persian cucumbers or pickling cucumbers (4-6 inches long)
1.5 Tbsps whole black peppercorns
1.5 Tbsps red pepper flakes
3 large garlic cloves, smashed
1.5 tsps dill seed
1 very large bunch of fresh dill

Procedure:
Combine the salt and water in a large vessel. I used a stock pot. Stir until the salt has dissolved.
Rinse the cucumbers thoroughly and snip off the blossom end and stem as needed. Set aside.

Place the peppercorns, pepper flakes, garlic, dill seed and fresh dill into the bottom of the crock. Add the cucumbers to the crock on top of the aromatic herbs. Pour the brine mixture over the cucumbers and completely cover with the liquid.

Set the crock stones on top of the cumbers and make sure that the brine rises above the crock stones. Place the lid on the crock, and set it in a cool and dry place. Fill the crock channel with filtered water to provide and air-tight seal. Refill as water evaporates from it.

The fermentation is complete when the places taste sour and the bubbles from fermentation have stopped rising—the fermentation time is approximately 7-10 days depending on the ambient temperature. When the pickles are sour, place in jars or tubs with the bringing liquid. Store for up to 3 months in the refrigerator. If the pickles should become soft or begin to take on an off odor, this is a sign of spoilage and they should be composted.

"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today." — Dale Carnegie